Patrick Ewing Hired As Georgetown Men’s Basketball Coach

UPDATE (6:35 p.m. ET): It’s official. Georgetown University announced Monday that Patrick Ewing has been named the new head coach of the school’s men’s basketball team.

ORIGINAL STORY: Patrick Ewing apparently will return to a familiar place to catch his big break.

Georgetown University will hire the Basketball Hall of Famer as head coach of its men’s basketball team, USA TODAY’s Erick Smith reported Monday, citing a person with knowledge of the situation.

Georgetown hasn’t announced Ewing’s hiring, but it sent out this teaser Monday on Twitter:

Ewing will replace John Thompson III, whom Georgetown fired last month after 13 years.

Ewing, 52, was a standout Georgetown player in the 1980s under Thompson’s father, earning three first-team All-American honors, a national championship in 1984 and The Associated Press College Player of the Year award in 1985.

The New York Knicks drafted Ewing No. 1 overall in 1985 and he went on to enjoy a storied career in the Big Apple. He left the Knicks after 15 years as their all-time leader in games, points, rebounds, blocks and steals.

Despite his playing pedigree, Ewing’s route to a head coaching job has been long. He retired in 2002 and has spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach in the NBA, most recently with the Charlotte Hornets. The Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards interviewed him for head coaching jobs but declined to hire him.

Thumbnail photo via Nicole Sweet/USA TODAY Sports Images